Lebanon baseball coach resigns

Lee Day won 352 games in 29 seasons coaching Warriors.

LEBANON — For 29 seasons, Lee Day has stood in the third base coaching box as the varsity baseball coach at Lebanon High School.

Now, he’s headed for home.

Day announced his resignation this week, leaving a job he started in 1982. He will remain at Lebanon High School as a guidance counselor and continue as the varsity boys golf coach.

“It’s time,” Day said. “I don’t have the energy that I had 10, 15 or 20 years ago to deal with all of the things that you have to deal with as a varsity baseball coach in Ohio.

“The fundraising, making cuts — which is the part of the job I despise — expectations of players and parents that don’t necessarily match up with the expectations of the coaching staff — all of those things are problems that haven’t changed in the last 15 years, but I used to have the energy to deal with it. Now, I don’t.”

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During his 29 seasons, Day compiled a 352-344 record. His teams won three Mid-Miami League championships and reached the district championship game two years.

Since 1999, the Warriors have had only one losing season under Day’s watch.

“I wish we had won more league championships,” Day said. “We were always there knocking on the door. We finished second more times than I can count. ... This school and this community deserves to win championships in baseball.”

Day’s success can’t be measured in championships. During his tenure, 33 Warriors signed college scholarships and 32 received the All-Ohio Baseball Academic Award.

“We have former players in all walks of life, and hopefully they learned something from baseball that they were able to use in their jobs and with their families to make them successful individuals and members of the community,” Day said.